Take Me Home
by SnowFairyLove
Summary: Lucy "Star Heart" Dreyar finally comes home to Fairy Tail after two back to back jobs. One Master gave her, and to defeat Oracion Sies given to her by the Magic Council. What happens when she comes home? GaLu! I don't own Fairy Tail. Only the plot and my OC. Inspired by a FanFIc I read I while back, but for the life of me I can't remember! Sorry! Rated M for a reason!
1. Returning Home

**Normal POV**

"I wonder when she'll be back. It's been four years now." Evergreen sighed, missing her best friend and partner in crime.

"Don't worry it's only an escort and delivery job. And then the magic council assigned her that job to take down that Dark Guild. We all know she's more than capable." Freed assured.

"Besides, she's just like her brother. She'll be fine." Bixlow added.

"I'm not worried about her safety, guys. I just miss her. She's my best friend." Evergreen sighed again. "And she's nothing like him! He's physically stronger, but she's smarter!"

"If only she was here to have stopped Fantasia from happening."

At that moment the door swung open to reveal Loke gasping for air. "It's _her_. She's back." The guild gets nervous and begins to panic. Guild members were running around in full hysteria. Quiet footsteps could be heard by the dragon slayers. Natsu and Gray begged Erza to knock them out, but their request was wasted on a scared-beyond-belief Erza. Gajeel is sitting back in his dark corner staring at the widespread panic of the guild.

In the doorway, stood a petite girl who looked slightly worn and tired. Her hair was blonde and a small tuft of it tied in a ponytail with a yellow ribbon to the side. She wore a simple leather jacket over a white strapless shirt. Her mini-skirt was black which matched her combat boots. She had a simple looking katana strapped to her back. Her dark-blue-almost-brown eyes scanned the hall. She grimaced when it seemed she did not find what she was looking for. "Where's my grandfather?" She asked.

The guild remained silent.

"Not here? Then where's Laxus?"

The silence became unbearable, so thanks to Evergreen being her best friend, she saved them. "Welcome back, Lu! We've missed you."

"Ah. I've missed you all as well. Freed, Bixlow, Evergreen. Where is my family?"

Evergreen sweat dropped. "Right. About that, Lu… You see he was, uh… How do I say this?"

"He was excommunicated." Freed stated bluntly.

The girl turned around. "I'll be back."

The rest of the guild sighed of relief.

"Oh, my god. She's terrifying." Erza said quietly.

"I feel bad for Laxus, having to face her when she just got back from a four year long job." Gray and Natsu shivered.

Gajeel slowly made his way over to Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Happy. "What's her deal? Who is she?" He asked, this girl intrigued him immensely. There was something… powerful about this girl that got his attention. The way she walked, talked, commanded the room, the way she smelled. _Stop that, Gajeel! You sound like a pervert!_ Gajeel scolded himself.

"That's Laxus' sister and Gramps' granddaughter, Lucy Dreyar. You might have heard if her as the Star Heart. She's a powerful celestial wizard. She's only lost once and that was to Laxus when they were kids. She just picked up magic and he had is lightning magic for over a year. Laxus is very protective of his sister so don't go trying to use her to win a fight!" Gray explained. "Laxus wouldn't even let me see her for a month after I asked her for her underwear."

"She could very well be Fairy Tail's next Master. But knowing her she'll drag Laxus back here and have him on his knees beg-" Erza started.

BOOM!

"I said I'm sorry! How many times do I have to apologize?!" There stood Lucy "Star Heart" Dreyar dragging her older brother by the collar of his shirt. She threw him to the bar and tied him to it.

"You will stay here until Grandfather returns from the Guild Master's conference and when he does, you will get on your knees and beg for forgiveness."

Erza sweat dropped. "Called it."

Feeling bold, Gajeel walks up to the blonde girl standing guard on Laxus, ignoring the guild's warning. "I'm Gajeel Redfox." He held his hand out to her.

She looked between him and his hand and smiled. "Lucy Dreyar, Fairy Tail's third S-Class."

"Don't you even dare try something, Redfox." Laxus growled. "You're still Phantom Scum. You and that blue haired rain chick."

Lucy turned abruptly to her brother. "Laxus-nii," She smiled sweetly. Her tone was childish and adorable. "Would you kindly shut up? Remember, you're the one in trouble." It was that sickly-sweet voice that made Laxus cringe.

He nodded vigorously. "Y-yes!"

"Good." She turned back to Gajeel, who had a smirk on his face, only because he got to look at her butt. "I apologize for my brother. He's normally such a sweet boy."

Gajeel blinked at her. "It's not a problem. How was the job?" He asked politely, trying to remain on her "Do Not Kill" list.

"Perverted old man. I swear, why does Grandfather always send me on those? And I'm frustrated… I can't find Leo's key. I've looked far and wide for it…" She mumbled. "Ah, sorry, that wasn't very polite. My mission was to escort a duke to the castle in Crocus. There was a group of assassins after him so the mission was bumped up to S-Class. That man has no manners nor concern for his own life."

"Why what went down?" Gajeel asked coolly, ignoring the growls from Laxus.

The guild was surprised at her openness towards Gajeel. That is except for the Raijinshu. They knew how kindhearted she really was and was only rough with Laxus because she cared for her older brother.

"Couldn't keep his grubby hands off me…" She sighed.

Gajeel snickered to himself. _I can see why, Star Heart, I can totally see why…_ He thought as he checked her out without her noticing. Which made the guys of the guild growl with jealousy.

She turned to Laxus and wrapped her arms around his abdomen. "Laxus-nii… You need to think before you act. You're better than this. What would you have done if Grandfather had actually died? He's not as young as he used to be. What happened to my caring, over-protective, hot-headed big brother?"

His face softened. "Sorry, Luce… I forgot myself. I'll fix this. I promise you that, okay?"

Her face brightened as the guild "awww"ed at their brother sister moment.

"What is with the affection in the room man? I know Fairy Tail is all about nakama and family, but this is over kill." A man laughed from the doorway.


	2. New Slayer

"What is with the affection in the room man? I know Fairy Tail is all about nakama and family, but this is over kill." A man laughed from the doorway.

Lucy quickly let go of Laxus as the crowd that gathered around them parted for her to meet the stranger at the door. Erza and Gajeel were quickly on her tail. Lucy looked at the man." Can we help you, Officer Doranbolt?"

"Ah. Perhaps you can, Dreyar-chan. We're here to arrest Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, and Gajeel Redfox."

"Under what charge, if you don't mind me asking?" She asked politely.

He cleared his throat. "Erza Scarlet," He read off," charged with four counts of assault, two counts of vandalism. Natsu Dragneel, seventeen counts of vandalism, eight counts of assault. Gray Fullbuster, thirty-six counts of public nudity, eighteen counts of public indecency. Gajeel Redfox, three counts of public disturbances."

"How much is bail?" Lucy sighed.

"A total of 13,000,000 J." Doranbolt stated. "You can't possibly have that much money on you, Dreyar-chan."

"Quite the contrary." She pulled out the bag of reward money and pulled out the money. "13,000,000 J here. It's been a long time since you last saw me, Doranbolt. You forget I'm S-Class like my brother?" She giggled.

Doranbolt nodded sadly. "Sorry to hear about him. It must be hard to kick him out like that."

"I'm right here, old man!" Laxus shouted, but he instantly regretted his actions as Lucy turned around and shot him with a death glare.

"I suppose we should be on our way then. Farewell, Dreyar-chan." Doranbolt smiled at Lucy.

She shook his hand. "Perhaps. You'll be back soon enough."

He chuckled. "Always. Anyway, the captain is waiting for you outside. He says it's important."

Lucy looked at her guild mates before walking outside to see Captain Lahar waiting for her. "Lucy-san, I wanted to thank-you personally for your help on this last job." He took Lucy's hand and pressed his lips to it. "You represent Fairy Tail well. But don't you think a position in the Magic Council would suit your skills better?"

"Not at all, Lahar. Not at all. I'm at peace here. It's my home after all. I have to take the good with the bad." She paused. "Besides, I have to look after my grandfather. He has a tendency to '_forget' _the Council's rules."

"That he does. Well, if you ever reconsider, you know how to contact me." Lahar patted her shoulder as Doranbolt nodded. They turned and left Fairy Tail and Lucy. She turned and faced a pissed Gajeel, who heard it all.

"Redfox-san, what is wrong?" She said politely. She was always a well-mannered child.

"It's Gajeel. No honorifics." He said through gritted teeth.

Taken aback by his attitude, she stepped closer to him. "Did I do something to upset you? Did you want to go to prison?"

He ran a hand through his wild yet untangled hair. "No. No. It's not that at all. I just," He paused, knowing the guild was watching, but afraid to touch the gentle girl in front of him. "Never mind. Just forget it." He walked passed her and out of the guild.

She blinked at his retreating form. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked a silent guild.

"Of course not, Lu!" Evergreen ran up to her, hugging the celestial mage tightly. "He's always grumpy. Let's just celebrate your return home!"

Freed and Bixlow came and joined the hug as well. Surprisingly, Laxus didn't protest their action, knowing that they would be trusted with the protection of his sister.

Erza, Gray, and Natsu walked over to Lucy and bowed politely. "Thank-you, Lucy-dono!"

Lucy became flustered at the honorific. "No. No. It's just Lucy. You guys know that!" She waved them off. "Besides, this guild is family. There's no reason to thank me. We help each other out. But Natsu!" She snapped her last sentence as she pointed at him. "You need to stop being so destructive. Erza! Don't be so brash with people! Gray! Your clothes!" The guild jumped back at her sudden change in attitude. She sighed and looked all three of them in the eyes. "I care about this guild's reputation almost as much as the rest of you, but on my last job I heard some things that didn't make me happy. Fairy Tail's being too destructive. Or Salamander's destroyed Hargeon Port. Titania destroyed Clover Town's Guild Master Meeting hall. I also received a thought projection from Grandfather saying how Natsu and Gray went on an S-Class job. I would have commended you if it was authorized. However, it was not, was it?"

Gray stood and looked her in the eyes. "We deeply apologize."

"I do however commend you on completing it successfully." She continued, her tone now the gentle one from before. "You have improved."

Gray stared wide-eyed at her. He returned from his shock that he was getting commended by the Star Heart. "You want to see how much we've improved?"

She smirked. "Do you really wish to fight me? Laxus-nii can't even take me down."

"I took Laxus down!" Natsu proclaimed.

"With the help of Gajeel!" Gray retorted. "Besides that was a draw and we all know it."

"You want to fight, ice princess?" Natsu yelled at his rival.

"Let's go then, Ash Brain." Gray cracked his knuckles, trying to be intimidating.

Lucy and Erza sweat dropped. "Stop with the fighting, you two."

"E-excuse me…" a quiet voice said. The source was a small, frail looking, blue-haired girl just in front of the guild doors. "I'm looking for Lucy-nee…" The small girl looked scared.

The only one who heard her was a small old man who was just entering the guild hall himself. "Ah, you mean Lucy Dreyar, then. May I ask your business with my granddaughter?"

The small girl nodded quietly. "She said that if I needed a home after my guild disbanded I'm welcome here. I didn't know what she meant by that until I found out the reason for my guild's creation. I traveled here after she left to go see the magic council."

The old man nodded. "Ah, so you're the Slayer she told me about. Lucy is fond of you. She also knows the sadness of losing someone dear to her. She wants to give you a better life. She also brought many of our current guild members here, as well." The man grew twice his height, using his Giant's Magic. The young girl was fascinated by the magic. "Lucy. You have a guest."

Lucy looked at the old man. "Grandfather! Welcome home! I brought Laxus-nii back. Please let him stay! Sure, he messed up, I promise he won't hurt anyone again." She pleaded giving him _the eyes._

The old man sighed. He couldn't resist the eyes. "Very well, Lucy. I will hold you responsible if anything happens." He shot a glare at Laxus. "And Lucy, you have a guest." Master Makarov gestured to the small young girl next to him.

Lucy's face brightened significantly at the sight of the young girl. "Wendy-chan. I'm happy you came. Are you here to join Fairy Tail?"

The small girl was engulfed into a tight hug by the said celestial mage. "Yes, Lucy-nee. I'm sorry it took so long… I got lost." The young girl started to cry, so Lucy held Wendy tighter.

"Its fine, Wendy-chan. I just got here myself. Are you ready to meet Fairy Tail?" Wendy nodded, a smile adorning her face. "Well, Mira? Can you stamp our newest family member?"

Mira walked over, stamp in hand. "Where and what color?" she said gently and sweetly.

Wendy pointed to her right shoulder. "Just like Lucy-nee's."

Mira pressed the stamp to her shoulder, leaving a black Fairy Tail insignia behind. "Welcome to Fairy Tail." The crowd cheered as the girl broke out into a smile.


	3. Stories Revealed

"What magic do you use, Wendy?" Natsu asked, his eyes glimmering with a certain fire in them. "Let me guess, Water Magic?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer."

Natsu's jaw dropped and he gapped at her along with the rest of the guild minus Lucy and Master Makarov. Lucy smiled at her little friend. "The story's the same as you, Natsu. Now our guild has two first generation and one second."

Wendy's eyes grew wide. "You're a dragon slayer, too?"

Natsu smiled. "Yep. I'm the Fire Dragon Slayer." As proof, his hands lit up in flames. "But Lucy, we have three first generation. Gajeel's the Iron Dragon Slayer.

It was Lucy's turn to be shocked, though she didn't show it. "Is his story the same?"

Natsu nodded. "Three dragons all disappeared on the same day of the same month of the same year. Ah! This is too much."

Lucy giggled. "It's fine. I was just thinking that's all." Absentmindedly, her hand landed on her keys. She held a specific key to be exact, a clear one.

"Lucy-nee, when did you pick up that one?" Wendy pointed at her keys, excitement in her eyes.

"Oh, this is a Glass Key. I thought it was a knock-off when I first saw it. But it's real. Want to see him?" Lucy smiled. She held the key out in front of her. "Open, Gate of the Hunter, Orion!"

In a puff of golden light, a man dressed in old fashioned hunters gear. He had a bow over his shoulder and a quiver of arrows on his back and a hunting knife attached to his hip. He put a fist over his heart and bowed. "Good marrow, Princess."

She blushed. "Good marrow, Orion." She smiled. "I'd like you to meet my guild."

"I see. Good marrow, Fairy Tail. Princess has made a contract with me. I am one of eight Glass Keys. I look forward to fighting with you. I will take my leave, Princess. Fare thee well. And let the winds guide you."

"Fare thee well, Orion." She waved as he shimmered gold and dissipated into the air. Master Makarov walked over to his granddaughter.

He was shocked that she had found a Glass Key. "Where did you find this? I've heard the stories, but to think they actually exist."

She blushed again. "Yeah, he came to me. He said that the keys will begin to start looking for me. It was a little nerve wracking to see a guy like him approach you with a blank face."

"How's your luck finding Leo?" Makarov asked.

"No dice. Aries said that I'll never be able to find him. But I want him to be with her. She's always crying over him. I don't want her to cry anymore." She looked her grandfather in the eyes. "I won't give up. He needs to be back home with the rest of the Zodiac."

Makarov nodded at his grandchild. "I would expect nothing less of you."

The rest of the day was spent celebrating her return home, making new friends with Wendy and the bringing back of Laxus. Cana was drinking, Gray was stripping, Natsu was fighting, Erza was eating cake, and Laxus, Lucy, and Wendy were at the bar surrounded by other guild members asking about their travels. Yet, Lucy's eyes never remained on the people she was talking to. She was glancing at the doors almost constantly until she heard her brother lean over to her.

"You feel it, too, huh?" Laxus whispered.

She nodded. "Whatever it is, it's big."

Almost as though time had stopped altogether, the presence made itself known, knocking the doors into the wall they were attached to. In the doorway stood a hooded figure whom the Dreyars knew all too well.

Lucy clutched her older brother's arm in fear. The man suddenly bolted towards the siblings. Lucy snapped out of her paralyzed state and unsheathed her katana barely able to block the sword swung in her direction.

"Ryker! What do you want!?" Lucy growled at the man.

"Same thing as last time, Luce. I want you." He karate chopped her in the neck knocking her out swiftly. "_He _wants her." And with those words before anyone could stop him. He vanished, taking Lucy with him.

Laxus let out a Dragon's roar in his anger. He started to charge for the door only to be stopped by Makarov's giant hand. "No Laxus. We must be smart about this. You can't go charging after him without a plan."

"That bastard has my sister!" Laxus roared at his grandfather.

"I'm aware of that. But she is also capable of taking care of herself." Makarov paused. "I will set teams to search for her. Erza, Gray Natsu, Happy. Go look within Magnolia. He hasn't gotten far yet. I can still sense him. Laxus, Freed, Evergreen and Bixlow. You start searching the forests. Macao, Wakaba, Elfman, head for the station. Go. Now!"

The said people bolted out of the guild hall in search of the celestial mage. Mira was sniffing quietly with Levy and Laki rubbing her back gently.

"M-master?"

Makarov looked at the young sky dragon slayer standing next to him. "Yes, child?"

"Lucy-nee is in horrible trouble, isn't she? I can sense her fear even though she's unconscious. She's very scared. Ryker is the man that hurt Lucy-nee, right?" Wendy sniffled. "He's the reason she doesn't want to find love and happiness, right? He's the one who caused her to always carry that sword with her!" the young girl clenched her fists tightly. "I'll find him and tear him apart." She yelled before charging out of the guild doors to begin her self-given quest, leaving the guild staring wide-eyed at her fading figure.

She ran passed a certain Iron Eater as he walked into the hall. He looked at the little girl running away. He walked into the hall already with a scowl on his face. "Where is Star Heart?" He growled. He couldn't sense her anywhere within Magnolia. Only a distance away. "She already taking a job?"

When no one answered him, panic began to set in. He darted out of guild hall and followed the invisible trail of Lucy's magic. He ran into the forest narrowly avoiding trees and high roots. He felt a burning ache in his chest. This was a new kind of pain to him. It was like he was scared, worried for her. Like he needed to be there next to her. He put his strange feelings aside and pushed himself to go faster. He slowed when he heard the voice of a man.

"Oh, Lucy, your father wants you home with him. Isn't that how you always dreamed it would be?"

Gajeel silently went closer until they came into his line of vision. He forced himself not to growl at the sight of seeing his guild mate tied to a tree. There was a man looming over her, a feral grin on his face. She had tears in her eyes and looked far from the strong girl he had met earlier that morning.

"Your daddy wants you home, Luce." He said in such a condescending tone. "And you don't even look happy about it."

"Why would I? He sent you to come get me. If he wanted me home, he should have come got me himself."

"My, my. Still so bitter about that. I believe I apologized, didn't I?" He sneered.

"I don't care, Ryker. I'll hate you for the rest of my days. Just hurry up and untie me, Gajeel."

The man blinked at her, not understanding her words. Gajeel, however, obeyed and launched himself out of the bushes he was hiding in and swiftly knocking Ryker into unconsciousness. He untied Lucy as she rubbed the rope burn and pain from her wrists. She still had tears in her eyes, but refused to cry. Sh grabbed her katana from Ryker's body and searched his pockets for her keys. Once she found them she bowed to Gajeel.

"Thank-you, Redfox-san, er, Gajeel."

He looked at her, a soft smiled playing on his lips. "Anytime, Princess."

She smiled faintly. She unsheathed her katana and placed it by Ryker's neck. "My message to you father. She raised her arm, ready to bring her blade through his neck. Gajeel caught her blade with his gray, scaly armor.

"Star Heart, are you sure you want to do that? You'd be taking his life."

"Shut up!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "You have no idea what he's done to me! Made me live my life in regret! My father's no better! He's better off dying!" She tried to swing her blade again, when he put his hand on top of the one she had on the handle.

"Listen, Princess. I'll do it. It'll only eat away at you. Turn around. You shouldn't see this." He looked into her eyes. She glared back at him before reluctantly turning around. Gajeel raised the sword and brought it down. "You die today." This sword hit the body, making a horrible choking sound as blood seeped from the slit in his throat.

Lucy let out a loud cry of anguish and pain. Gajeel whipped around looking at the powerful S-Class wizard on her knees balling her eyes out in front of him. He was stunned, to say the least. He expected her to be like Laxus, in a way. Unable to shed tears. She was vulnerable right now. And strangely enough, it filled Gajeel with an unimaginable amount of rage to see her cry like this. He stabbed the ground with her katana and knelt next to her, gently patting her back. He clung onto his shirt, soaking it in the process. They had stayed like that for a while, breaking apart moments before Freed, Evergreen, Bixlow, and Laxus came running into the clearing.

"Lucy!" Laxus yelled, crashing into his beloved sister. She had stopped crying at this point. She smiled.

"I guess you're still saving me over and over again, huh, Laxus-nii?" She gave him a small smile.

"I have to protect my little sister, that's the reason I created our team, remember?"

Evergreen had joined the hug, leaving Bixlow, Freed, and Gajeel standing awkwardly together. The silence between them didn't last very long.

"Thank-you for saving her, Gajeel. That man is disgusting." Freed stated.

"Who is he?" Gajeel asked quietly.

"We can't give you the full story, but he is Ryker Myst. He used to be part of the Raijinshu." Bixlow answered. "He was very close to Lucy."

"He hurt her, then?"

"Yeah. He took something away from her she can never get back."

Gajeel looked wide-eyed at them. "He didn't."

"He raped her."


	4. Instinct

I felt my blood boil. I could hear my heart beat in my ears. The anguish I know Lucy was feeling became my anguish. Her pain became my own. I could almost see the link between us. I let out a roar that would put Metalicana to shame. Rune guy and Soul Creep backed away from me. I looked down at my hands. They were covered in gray, metallic scales.

"Yo, tin can, chill it with the magic!" Laxus snapped at me. He was holding back Lucy who was desperately trying to get out of his grip. She managed to free herself from his grasp and charged at me. Her face was blank and her eyes were unreadable.

She was a foot away when she jumped and slammed her right foot into my chest, knocking me on my ass. "Gajeel!" She yelled my name. My heart pumped faster at the sound of my name flowing from her lips. What's this feeling? She held her foot on top of me, adding pressure to my already heavy chest. Her eyes flickered something warm for but a fleeting moment. Kindness, maybe?

I can read everyone in the guild, why can't I read her? Why does she make me feel so weird? I took a deep breath. "What, Star Heart?" I growled.

She took a step back, shocked by my sudden change. I looked back at my hands. They were normal again. What just happened? I got up and started to head home, not bothering to say anything as she called out for me to stop. I almost did. That's what scared me. I'm losing control. My magic shouldn't take over like that. This was one of those times wished I had Metalicana around. He never finished teaching me all I needed to know.

My home was in the forest, near a cave I train in. When it came into view, I sighed. I unlocked the door and walked inside, shedding my soaked shirt in the process. She needs to get out of my head. What's going on with me?

I left my house and went outside and slammed my fist into the nearest tree, snapping it in two. . Vaguely, I apologized to it as it crashed to the ground. It had done nothing to deserve it. It was just existing and I killed it. Metalicana, what's going on with me? This girl, this wizard, I can't read her. I can't figure her out. Titania was the hardest to read, but I had figured out what made her tick. This one, though. I just can't figure her out. Titania fought until the bitter end. Lucy would give up her life. Does she just float through the days, not really caring about her life? Or does she just put on a mask that smiles just to show everyone that nothing's wrong, that she isn't broken on the inside?

I kicked another innocent tree. I watched it as it crashed to the ground, making the world around me shake and quiver.

She just smiles and keeps everyone at a distance. Never wanting to be close to anyone. She seemed so pure and unscathed. So strong, like someone who showed no weakness. Yet, she was crying in my arms just a while ago. I don't understand her. She's more complicated than Laxus. Laxus was easy to figure out as soon as I saw him. He had a dark past with his father. What if her father had done something to her as well?

I felt my blood boil at the thought. She must have a darker past than Laxus. I could ask the old man. No, that'd be wrong. How would I even explain that to him? _Hey, look. I'm trying to figure out what makes your granddaughter tick. Can you tell me about her past?_ No, that'll get me hurt.

And then when she touched me. Even though it was a kick to my chest, her touch calmed my magic down tremendously. That was just her touch.

I growled. "Why can't I figure you out?"

"Figure who out?" I whipped around to see her leaning against the side of my house.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "When did you get here? Why are you here?" I didn't sense her coming.

She sighed. "I wanted to thank you and make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine." I answered her.

"We're friends, right?" She asked, walking over to me. "Then why won't you tell me what's wrong."

"We all have our own baggage. Don't try digging mine up." I growled.

"Gajeel…" She breathed. I turned away from her.

"What are you still doing here? I didn't invite you so just leave." I growled.

"Please let Wendy-chan look at you. She's a healer. If there's something wrong she'll be able to fix it." She begged.

Begging? This girl changes too much. Why does she even care? We're still strangers. We had only met this morning. "Why do you care?"

"You're part of Fairy Tail, right? So you're my family. I watch out for my family. Please go see Wendy-chan or Porlyusica-sama. Porlyusica-sama isn't that far away, please go see her." Faintly I registered the smell of salt coming from her.

Damn. I made her cry. "Fine. But you have to realize that not all men are like _him_." I blinked at my words. Where did that come from? I turned to look at her. She had a small smile on her face. "I know, but I always choose the ones who hide their evils just to use them against me after they get close enough…"

My ears twitched as I heard the soft pitter patter of footfalls in the forest. "Lucy-nee!"

A small bluenette came running into the forest charging towards Lucy. She launched herself at Lucy, who caught her, and gave her a tight hug. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Oh! Your wrists!" The small girl put her hands over Lucy's wrists. Before Lucy could protest, a soft blue glow emitted from the young girl's hands, healing the burns on Lucy's wrists.

I stared at the girl. "You're Wendy, then?" I asked cautiously, not sure if she'd be like Lucy.

She turned to me. "Y-your clothes, sir."

I looked down at myself and realized I was shirtless this whole time. I felt my cheeks get hot. Lucy saw me shirtless! I quickly bolted inside finding a new shirt. Why do I care that Lucy saw me like that? She looked like she didn't even care.

As soon as I came back outside, I was bombarded by Wendy. "Thank-you, Gajeel-san!"

I was taken aback. "No problem?" I said slowly.

Lucy giggled. "Go ahead, Wendy. Take a look at him."

Wendy put her and in front of me, already emitting that same blue glow. I felt my magic replenish, not noticing I had used so much.

"You're the Iron Dragon Slayer. Yet, you never finished training. You don't know the last thing a Dragon Slayer is taught." Blinking at me, she furrowed her brow. "You don't know."

I jerked away from her. How was she able to figure all that out? "Know what?"

"About your significant other. Your mate to be specific."

* * *

**So Hi guys and girls! **

**How are you liking this story so far?**

**Please let me know in the reviews! if you have ideas I take those, too!**

**Love,**

**-SFL**


	5. Realization

**Normal POV**

Gajeel stared at Wendy. "My…mate?"

"Well, yeah. At the end of your training, your dragon tells you about the mating process and gives you a description of your mate. Just like their parents had done for them. Mine is a fire wizard whose father is a fire wizard. But once you've made physical contact with your mate, like a bump in the shoulder or a handshake, you must stick close to them of it will drive your magic out of balance and control." She smiled. "Experiencing strong emotions also does that, too."

Gajeel looked at Lucy who was playing with a small white wolf cub. "Yoshiro…" She hummed quietly to it. "Welcome back." Gajeel looked at his hands again, soaking in Wendy's words. He stared at them for a while before turning to see Lucy cradling the cub in her arms. She walked over to them and smiled, placing the cub on her shoulder.

"Ah, Lucy-nee! Yoshiro!" Wendy greeted.

Lucy nodded in acknowledgement. "We should be getting back. Laxus-nii must be worried. Farewell, Gajeel." She smiled faintly as she and Wendy left in the direction of the guild.

"Bye." Gajeel said lamely. He mentally scolded himself as he though back to what Wendy had told him.

He walked back to his house and dropped onto the couch before flipping on the Lacrima Vision to see the weather of Magnolia. He sighed and flipped to the channel that featured Fairy Tail called Fairy Watch.

He recognized Jason shouting "cool" while interviewing Laxus on Lucy's return home.

"Did you miss your sister while she was gone for the last four years?" Jason asked.

Laxus was forcing himself to be nice from what Gajeel could see. "Of course. That's my little sister. Who wouldn't?"

"Cool!" Jason shouted before moving on to the Thunder God Tribe and other members of the guild. He stopped mid-interview to see Lucy walking in with Wendy and that wolf cub on her shoulder. Lucy smiled and waved at the people who greeted her. She was quickly ambushed by her over adoring family members and team. When they finally released her she smiled a bright smile, acting like nothing was wrong. Gajeel could tell she was trying to hide her sadness. It seemed like Freed had noticed it too and he took her hand, squeezing it tightly.

Gajeel growled in fury, but decided to keep watching anyway. He noticed how fake her smile seemed to be, basing of the smile she gave Laxus. She was trying to show that Ryker did not affect her. That worried Gajeel to no end. She was an amazing actress, but Gajeel saw right though her, as well as Freed, from what Gajeel could see.

"So, Star Heart, do you have a boyfriend yet?" Jason asked with a sly grin on his face.

"No. No. I have my family and team, that's all I need. Besides, I have to take care of the business side of Fairy Tail, don't I? That's just the Fairy Tail way, to put your family first, that is." She smiled softly. "I don't really see the point having a love life, when I have to take care of everyone just the same way they take care of me. I know what you're thinking, though. I don't mind having a boyfriend just right now, there's not really anyone that catches my eye right away."

"She doesn't need a boyfriend." Laxus growled. "She's too young for that."

Gajeel now understood why Laxus was so protective of his sister. She meant the world to him, and because of the incident with Ryker, Gajeel doubted she trusted men easily. Gajeel's heart hurt at the thought of her not trusting him. He growled. "Why the hell do I care?" He yelled.

The room remained silent, not that he was expecting an answer anyway. He stood up and walked to the guild after locking up his home. He took the back alleyways, not wanting to be bothered by the presence of other people. He wanted to go see the little blue haired dragon slayer and get some answers from her.

He slammed the door open, making them hit the walls they were attached to. He stormed over to the bar and angrily slapped money down on the counter. Mira handed him his iron scraps and gave him a knowing smile as he looked around the hall for Wendy, and Lucy, but mostly Wendy. He grunted in thanks and marched over to a table filled with the Raijinshu and Wendy. He picked up the small girl without a word and roughly carried her out of the guild hall. He stopped once she stopped resisting.

"What are you doing?!" She squealed. "Put me down before someone calls the Rune Knights." She snapped.

"About what you told me earlier… About the mating. I think Lucy's my mate…" Gajeel said quietly. Even Wendy had a hard time hearing it. She smiled and hugged him.

"Now you just need to get her to fall in love with you. Follow your instincts, they'll guide you to do what's right." She patted his arm and ran back to the guild whereas he walked into the forest.

"Follow my instincts. That should be easy." A small rabbit crossed his path. He and the rabbit had a sort of staring contest. He felt his instincts begin to kick in. He let out a growl that should have scared the white cotton tail. He lunged forward and before he knew what was going on, he was holding a dead rabbit by the ears and walking to the guild. "I hope she likes it…"

* * *

Oh no... Gajeel don't! haha this won't end well... I am no longer in control. My characters are writing this! XD

Let me know what you think! R&R

I apologize of any OOCness, if that's a problem? I don't really know. I believe Wendy's OOC but whatever. Wendy's a badass in her own way.

Love,

-SFL


	6. Dinner for Three

**Lucy POV**

"So Wendy-chan, what did the grumpy tin can want?" Evergreen asked.

Wendy smiled. "Oh, he just wanted to know some things about dragons and dragon nature." She said after hesitating a bit. "He wanted to check some things from the source."

"Like?" I asked her. Yoshiro heard some things about "dragon instincts" and "smells" that piqued my interest.

Wendy pointed at the doors as Macao and Wakaba came in, a little bruised and battered but overall okay. "Who are they? They have to be strong!"

I could see her avoiding my question, but decided to let it slide. I assumed it's something that she isn't allowed to tell me. Like it's a dragon secret. I giggled softly at my own musings before answering Wendy. "The tall guy with the weird "S" necklace is Macao Conbolt. He uses a type of Fire magic. The guy with the weird hair is Wakaba. He uses smoke magic. Such a nasty habit, don't you ever start." I warned.

The doors crashed open again and we all looked up to see Gajeel Redfox standing in the doorway holding a dead animal in his right hand. His eyes locked on his target, which was me. He walked over to me and dropped the animal, a bloodstained rabbit, on the table in front of me. He pulled Bixlow from his seat next to me and sat down. His eyes were scanning for a reaction. I just stared at the rabbit.

"What is this, Gajeel-san?"

"It's a rabbit." He answered like it was obvious.

I glared at Wendy and Natsu, who had come over to see what Gajeel wanted, were trying to contain their giggles. "Why is it dead?"

"I killed it."

I sighed and picked up the rabbit. "If you wanted to say how you feel about me, just tell me. If you hate me, fine. I tried to care because you need friends in this world in order live. You've been surviving. Nakama is our principle, Gajeel-san. Hopefully, one day you'll understand that." I shoved the rabbit carcass into his chest, picked up Yoshiro and stormed out of the guild hall. I faintly registered the howls of laughter that was Natsu. Wendy jogged to keep up with me. I didn't bother to look at her. "Wendy-chan, tell me what you know."

I felt her eyes on me. "I can't tell you, Lucy-nee. It's Dragon Art. Only Gajeel can tell you, but I can tell you that Gajeel doesn't dislike you. In fact what he did was kind of romantic. That rabbit was a gift."

"Who the hell would give someone a dead animal as a present?" I grumbled as Wendy chuckled. "Well, tomorrow he'll have some explaining to do." We walked towards Fairy Hills and I set her up in my room.

"Lucy-nee I can't possibly share a room with you…" She refused.

"You'll be staying here free of charge of paying the 100,000 J rent fee. How about that?" I smirked.

"That's no fair, Lucy-nee!"

I laughed. "Right. Go take a shower, I'll start cooking."

She nodded and left as I walked into the kitchen. I sighed when I realized I had no food in my room. I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a quick note to Wendy saying I was going shopping. I walked out the door. I was walking through the market looking at all the raw meat I could buy and cook it up into a stew. I bought four pounds of meat, carrots, two peppers and a celery stick. I jostled the bags in my arms, trying to make sure I don't drop anything. My steps were wobbly under the weight of it all.

"Want some help with that, Star Heart?"

I peeked over the bags and smiled at Gajeel as he reached for the meat bag, which was the heaviest, and carried it.

"Where to?"

"Fairy Hills, Gajeel-san." I answered quietly, still somewhat upset about what had happened in the guild an hour ago.

"I told you to drop the honorifics."

"S-Sorry." I paused, not sure how I should ask about what happened. "About the rabbit-"

"Just forget it. You obviously rejected it, so just forget about it, okay?"

"What did you mean by it? Wendy said that only you could explain it to me. She said it's Dragon Art. Yoshiro heard you guys talking about smells and dragon instincts, too. Wendy also told me that it was meant to be a gift and that it was 'romantic'."

Gajeel's face darkened. "Right, well, I'm not particularly well-versed in this subject so I'll tell you what I think is right. Basically, when a dragon slayer finishes their training with their dragon, the dragon gives them a description of their mate, the one person they'll be with for life. I never finished my training, so I don't know the description of my mate, but when a dragon slayer does find their mate and they touch, it flips a switch inside the dragon slayer and the mate. It could simply be a bump in the shoulder or a handshake, stuff like that. The female is more emotional and cares for her mate's well-being, has a tendency to make sure her mate is okay. The male, however, has to stay by his female or his magic will spiral out of control, also when she experiences strong emotions, like fear or anger. Those emotions power him to protect her. During the time before the two are mated the male will bring the female 'gifts' in which she is supposed to accept and make and present a meal out of." He finished with his eyes locked with mine. I could tell his eyes were full of hope, but hope for what?

"G-Gajeel. I don't know what to say." I paused. "But what happens if one mate rejects the other?"

"They live a life of solitude and their emotions spiral out of control. Eventually, they go insane. Though, that's coming from Natsu." His face softened. "You're brother wants you to be with Freed or Bixlow, doesn't he?"

My eyes watered slightly at his question. "He just doesn't want anything to happen to me again. Freed is a gentleman and Bixlow is a great person to turn to when you need help but they're my brothers just as much as Laxus is. I'm not attracted to them like that." I unlocked my door and ushered him inside. "In turn for helping my carry these home, you can stay for a meal. I would like Wendy's advice on this." I muttered the last part.

"I'll stay but I doubt the brat will tell you anything."

I mentally face palmed myself, remembering he has hypersensitive hearing. I nodded and began to prepare the stew as Gajeel sat at the table watching me work.

I shrugged of my jacket, tossing it onto the couch, and pulled on my apron with all the zodiac signs on it. I began to brown the meat and chop the vegetables. I filled a pot with water to about half full and added some broth. I faintly registered Wendy coming in to help. She jumped right into routine with me saying a word. She set the table, places for three. I heard a slight "eep" coming from behind me, so I casually looked over my shoulder. I found Gajeel right behind me, looking over my shoulder. Our faces mere inches apart.

"Can I help you?" I asked with a blush staining my cheeks.

"Perhaps," He placed his hands on my hips and nuzzled my neck. "I like it here. Feels like a family, you know."

I resisted the urge to roundhouse kick Gajeel and thought about what he said. To anyone who didn't know the situation, we did look like a family, one of weirdoes but a family nonetheless. Wendy being the child, Gajeel is the father, and myself as the mother. "I see where you're coming from. After mom died, I relied more on Father and Laxus. Then Father…" I trailed off, not wanting to relive that abuse I suffered from his hand. He wished for me to pick up where Laxus lacked, which was strength in power instead of heart. I became what I am today. Which is part of the reason Father wants me to join his guild. I shook my head and added the vegetables and meat. I stirred it for a while, with Gajeel still holding me, not saying a word. I eventually leaned into his hold. I found it relaxing to be in. Almost like I was safe in these arms. And perhaps I am. "Gajeel?"

He hummed in acknowledgement.

"Do you think maybe we could… Take a job… Together?" I mumbled.

He pressed his lips to my neck and nuzzled it once more. "I'd love to take a job with you. On two conditions, Star Heart."

"And those are?" I asked curiously.

"It has to be an S-Class job and you have to give me a chance." He stated proudly.

"I'll think about that last one. But we can definitely do an S-Class quest. I could use the money since I have to feed three dragon slayers, now."

"Three?" He asked confused.

"Wendy, Laxus, and now you. After this meal you'll keep coming back. It's always the same with anyone I cook for." I smirked as I stirred the stew again. "Okay, slops on, guys."

I turned off the burner and carefully lifted the pot and placed it on a coaster on the table, Gajeel following closely behind.

Wendy put her hands together in a prayer-like formation. "Thank-you for the food, Lucy-nee."

Gajeel mimicked her movements. "Thanks for the meal, Lucy."

I smiled and blushed. "Shut up and eat, dorks."

Wendy was the last to finish, stating she wanted to savor my cooking. Gajeel had finished first, reasoning that my food was the best he had ever had. I ate my food like the normal person I am. Once we were all finished Wendy picked up our plates and began washing dishes in the sink. I brought the pot in for her and set it beside the sink. I went to the living room area and plopped myself next to Gajeel.

"So about that second condition. Elaborate, please."

"I want to court you, Lucy. Isn't that obvious. You must have noticed the sudden change in your behavior when we shook hands. Your hatred for that bastard ran deep and I experienced it. It made me want to attack the motherfucker even though he is dead."

"He's not dead." I corrected him. "He has something protecting him where he can only die by a celestial spirit called Lepus. It's the Hare constellation. It has the power to neutralize any spell and use it against the caster. It's a very useful glass key. Right now, I only have Orion. And out of the Zodiac keys I'm only missing Leo, the lion, but I think I'll be getting that key soon. I've had an idea of who it might be…"

"Who?" He furrowed his brows at me.

"Loke. He had affiliation with Karen Lillica, a celestial wizard I crossed keys with a few time as a young wizard. She was a role model to me, that is until I found out how she treated her spirits. You see she used them as mere tools who aren't capable of feeling, only able to follow their master's orders. I see them as allies and friends. Nakama if you will. Growing up they were my closest friends besides Laxus-nii, Freed, Bixlow, Evergreen, and Lisanna Strauss. I noticed she wasn't at the guild today. She must be out on a job. And Mira and Elfman seem different… I'll ask about her tomorrow."

"And our job?" He asked patiently as he stood from the couch.

"I accept your terms, Gajeel. Just warn me about the stupid dead animals, okay?" I stated firmly as I stood.

"You made the best choice of your life just now, you know." He smirked. "I'm gonna head out, Lucy. See you tomorrow at the guild. You can pick out the job, okay?" I walked him to the door and hugged him. He kissed the top of my head and I felt my cheeks flare up.

"Good night, Gajeel. Be careful." I said before I could stop myself.

He laughed. "Don't worry about me, Star Heart. I'm the one protecting you, remember?" He hugged me again, only tighter. "Be safe going to the guild tomorrow. That bastard could still be lurking around."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." I kissed his cheek. "Thanks for saving me today." I pushed him out the door before he could say anything and leaned against it. _Oh, what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**_Hey guys! Here's a long chapter for you! I hope you liked it. Let me know what you though, okay?_**

**_Love 'n Hugs, _**

**_-SFL_**


	7. The First Journey

**Gajeel POV**

I was jumping in victory the next morning. I practically skipped into the guild hall, immediately heading for the bar to order metal scraps. I has halfway there when I was stopped by Laxus, Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen. They glared at me as I stopped in my tracks.

"What the hell was that stunt, Redfox?" Laxus snarled at me.

"What do you mean?" I glared at them.

"My sister is not your mate and we both know it." He snapped, trying to get me to jump at him.

I laughed. "I'm taking a guess here. I don't know who my mate would be, Thunder Thighs. I never finished my training. I have no idea who my mate is. I'm shooting in the dark here. Besides, we're taking a job tomorrow. It'll be an S-Class job, too." I wanted them to know that she had accepted this.

Freed placed a hand on Laxus' shoulder.

"I had a taste of her food, too." I smirked. I didn't notice her until she came up from behind and smacked me in the back of the head. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"For being arrogant! And Stupid!" She wacked me on the head again before heading over to Laxus, who was cowering behind Freed and Evergreen. "Nii-san! I am old enough to do as I see fit. I am capable of doing what I believe is correct! I am twenty-two years old Laxus-nii! I know you only mean the best for me but please understand I am not that wounded girl anymore. I know you don't want it to happen again, but Ryker will be dealt with as soon as I get Lepus's key. Then I'll be hunting for him…" She said darkly as darkness filled the air around her. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling as her stiff muscles relaxed. Her gaze turned to her grandfather, who looked at her with sad eyes.

"Lucy, follow your heart and believe in both yourself and the magic you wield. Let the Stars guide you and you will be where you belong."

She nodded and smiled. "I wish to take _that_ quest, Grandfather. Don't worry, I'm not going alone. And I'll come back. I promise." She said sternly. I blinked at her, she made S-Class mages cower but not Master? And what scared me most is she dared to talk to the old man like she did. She wasn't requesting to take this mysterious job, no, she was demanding this. Her muscles tightened again and she whipped around to face me. Her face was stern but her eyes were soft.

I gave in to her silent demand and crossed my arms at the old man sitting before us. "I have her back, old man. She'll be fine. Besides, we both know she can handle her own. We'll take that job." I held out my hand waiting for the request flyer to be placed into it. Master sighed and pulled the flyer out of his pocket and placed it in my hand.

I looked at the flyer. My eyes widened. The request was one that specifically asked for Lucy to be brought to the requester. It was from an _Ivan D. _Ivan, Ivan. That man from Raven Tail… That man I was spying on for Master. That was Lucy's father. The same man that sent that rat bastard Ryker Myst after my mate! I let out a low growl and grabbed Lucy's wrist, dragging her out of the guild hall. Once out I let go of Lucy and walked to the train station, knowing she was following behind. My teeth were clenching, my fists balled tightly, growls releasing themselves against my will. I can't go very far without Lucy, or my magic will spiral out of control.

"Lucy," I barked.

"Gajeel… I know."

"No! I don't think you do! Why in the hell would you want to go to your father? Are you just going to live your life suffering, following his orders? That's how you want to spend your life?" I snapped, turning to face her. We were just outside the train station so townspeople were staring at us because of my outburst.

Lucy sighed. "Gajeel, you're making a scene. Come on, please…" She tugged my hand toward the entrance. I pulled her into my grasp and shook her lightly.

"Dammit, Lucy. Answer me."

"I'm not staying. I am a delicate fairy. Ravens are vile creatures. But when fairies are angered, they become very, very dangerous and I intend to make that point very clear." She said darkly. "Now, let's go." She tried, once again, to pull me into the station.

I refused to move. She tugged again. Still did I not move. She turned to look at me and she sighed. "Lucy, promise me right now. You will not do anything reckless and that no matter what, you will survive."

She smiled at me. "Please, Gajeel. Don't insult me. My father is weak and pitiful. And I forgive him, for he knows not what he does."

I sighed. "You read, too. Like the Shrimp, don't you?"

She giggled. "Not as much as _Levy_. But yes. I read." She began to walk into the station and I quickly followed behind her, staying about a foot behind. I admired her outfit, same as the one yesterday, the black jacket over a white tube top with a black skirt and black combat boots and the katana attached to the hip opposite of her keys. I watched the way she absentmindedly swayed her hips as she walked, the way her keys quietly jingled with every step, and the way she held her head high and without shame. Yet I could see the slight tensing and loosening of her muscles in her triceps and shoulder blades. We paid for our tickets and sat on the bench. She sat with perfect posture, whereas I slouched with my feet sticking out into the walkway. I watched as her grip on her black skirt tighten to the point where her knuckles turned white.

Her head snapped in the direction of the entrance as we stood to board the newly arrived train. I laid my arm around her shoulders, steering her into the train, much to my dismay. We sat in a private compartment, which was to my luck. I hated my motion sickness. It irritated me that I showed weakness in front of people. At least I was able to handle it most of the time.

The train lurched forward and I felt my stomach drop and my face pale. I tried my best to hide it, but I knew I failed when Lucy giggled at me.

"Gajeel-san, come here. I have motion sickness too." She pulled out a little glass container filled with red balls. She popped one out and handed it to me. "It also conserves magic energy. It comes in handy when I'm fighting tough opponents." She smiled at me and leaned against the window as though she were going to go to sleep.

I popped the pill into my mouth and swallowed. I instantly felt all traces of motion sickness fade into nothingness. "You're one of a kind, Star Heart… But how do you have motion sickness?"

* * *

**_Hey guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's late, I know. I've been playing Minecraft and doing homework. But those are excuses. _**

**_I have a few new series in the works. Another LaLu and a GaLu! Both were requests and I apologize if they are long overdue! Sorry._**

**_R&R_**

**_P.S. Tell me if you find the Shakespeare reference in this chapter. And if you find it, tell me what play it is. I'll give you a shout out in the next chapter!:)_**

**_Love -SFL_**


	8. Confrontation

**Lucy POV**

_I ran through the forest, my heart hammering against my ribcage. My footfalls slammed against the packed dirt of the forest floor. My keys were long gone, left behind as I made my escape. I clutched at the torn fabric that was once my clothing with tears streaming down my face. _

_I could still hear his voice over my cries and pleas. I ran, pushing myself to go faster. I let out another cry, this one for my brother, then another for my best friend, and lastly one for my grandfather. I took the side streets once I had made it into town, not wanting the attention of the townspeople I had grown accustomed to seeing every day. I bolted into the guild hall, silencing the drunken chatter. I made my way upstairs, ignoring the concerned questions and stares coming from my precious guild mates. _

_As soon as my brother saw me, he rushed his way over, shrugging off his coat in the process. He wrapped it around me tightly, making sure I was covered. He didn't try to get answers, knowing I was in no condition to speak. He had simply pulled me into his embrace and let my wails of pain consume the guild hall and letting my tears soak into his favorite purple dress shirt as he soothed me with soft words. _

_Laxus lifted me into a bridal style hold as he brought me into Grandfather's office. I watched as the anger coursed its way through his face as I told them what had happened. An hour later, _he_ had decided to come back to the guild my keys jingling in his pocket. Laxus glared at Ryker and as calm as he could he demanded my keys. Ryker complied, of course, and threw them at me. I caught them, checking if they were all there before grabbing the Key of Taurus. The two fought for what seemed like years as I watched them battle. I remember his threat well._

_"Don't worry, Lucy. I'll be back for you, my love. Our love will not be oppressed and anyone who stands in the way will be taken care of." _

I had fallen asleep leaning against the window. Or so I had thought. When I woke, my head was pressed against Gajeel's shoulder. I smiled at the thought of always being able to wake up next to him like this.

"What're you smiling about, Lucy?" His slightly husky, just-woke-up voice was so sexy. "Well?"

I jumped slightly in his grasp, thinking to myself how I had hoped Gajeel didn't notice my nightmare, or memory in this case. "Morning, Gajeel-san." I nuzzled into his neck. "Did you stay up this whole time?"

"Of course, I did." He smirked. "I have to protect you, don't I?" He looked me in the eyes with a scowl on his face. "How come you get motion sickness?"

I paled at his sudden demand of a question. How was I supposed to explain to Gajeel my secondary magic? How was I supposed to explain to my mate that I, like Laxus in a sense, am an artificial Wolf Slayer? And like Laxus, I had no wolf instincts when it came to the mating things. Instincts are not something you can learn in a night. "Well, you see…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I won't force you." Yoshiro yipped happily and rubbed himself against Gajeel in a cat-like manner.

_"I like this one, Lucy. He'll be good for you, unlike Ryker."_

I grinned down at my little cub. "Yep, he sure will be."

"Huh?" Gajeel asked me.

I bopped him on the nose and walked out of the compartment as the train pulled into the station. He growled and followed me out. He quickly took my hand and dragged me of the train. He followed me to Raven Tail's guild hall. His grip on my hand tightened with every step. I looked at him through the corner of my eye. His muscles were tense, his teeth grinding, and other hand clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"We'll be okay, Gajeel. I promise."

He nodded. We entered the guild hall that had belonged to my father with caution, luckily there was only him and a few members present at the moment. I felt all eyes land on us as we inched closer with every precarious step. I watched as my father's face formed a smile.

"Lucy, dear! I'm so happy you came! Daddy missed you so much! You should have visited me more often like you did when you were a child! And you brought Gajeel-san too! Good job!" I watched in horror as he hugged me tightly, proclaiming his words at the top of his lungs. "Oh how your mother would love to see you right now! You look just like her! Except you have my eyes. So did you come here to sign up for Daddy's guild?"

I frown at him. "No. I came to tell you, I'm done with you. I have what I need at Fairy Tail. I'm twenty-two, Father. I no longer need my parents. I have Laxus and Grandfather, not to forget Gajeel and the guild. And don't even try to buy my loyalty. It lies with Fairy Tail, just like yours should. You should have never done that to Laxus."

"He was weak."

"So are you." I snapped. "You think power is in the magic. But it comes from the heart. Only there can you overcome any obstacle. Everyone in Fairy Tail Believes that completely, that's how we survive. One person's tears becomes everyone's tears, and one person's happiness becomes everyone's happiness. One person's pain becomes everyone's pain. Mom knew that, why didn't you? You love her yet you couldn't love your own kids in the same respect. That's pathetic."

I watched as he grew angry at my words. "You know better. Watch your tongue." He snapped and growled in my ear.

Gajeel, feeling the violent tension in the air, stepped between us. "That's enough from you. I won't have you threaten my mate." He growled.

"Mated now, are you? Wonder how Ryker will take that. Too bad he's in recovery due to that little number you did on him. He's really hurting, child."

"I don't give a damn if he's hurting or not. I don't love him. I hate him with my entire being. He could die for all I care and I would happily dance on his grave. Understand?" I unsheathed my katana and held it by his neck. "I thought you had deserved a chance to know I was alright only because you loved me more than Laxus. Even though he's the stronger one. I'm weak compared to him." I mused.

I grabbed Gajeel by the hand and dragged him out of the guild hall, leaving my father stunned and seething at my words. I loved how his face contorted as we left. I could see it through Yoshiro's eyes. I whistled loudly, telling him to come on back.

_"Are we going home, Lucy? I wanted to pee on the floor before we left."_

I howled in laughter as I shook my head. "No. Come on. Let's go home." I said, clutching my stomach and ignoring Gajeel's very confused expression on his pierced face.

* * *

Hello guys! It's been almost a month since I last posted this story but you know how busy things can get. Well, I hope you really, really enjoyed this chapter is was surprisingly fun to write.

Anyway, the person who guessed the shakespeare reference is

**_Psyka!_**

It was from Romeo and Juliet! Benvolio said it! I need help... Oh Well! I love you guys and the support from you too!

*hugs all of you*

Please R&R!

Love, -SFL


End file.
